William woehle



(No Model.)

W. ,WOEHLB BILLIARD GUE TIP PASTENBR.

Patented July '7, 1896.

/l/TNESSES ,6MM ff i UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

IVILLIAM IVOEHLE, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN P. AHRENS, OF SAME PLACE.

BILLIARD-ouE-Tlp FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of. Letters Patent No. 563,537, dated July 7, 1896. Application ned May '7, 1896. serial No. 590,634. (No model.)

To au whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM WoEHLE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cincinnati, in the countyl of Hamilton and in Figs. 2 and 3.

State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Billiard -Oue-Tip Fasteners, of which the following is a speci- Iication.

My invention relates to billiard-cues. Its object is to provide a simple convenient means for readily securing the tip to the end of the cue, securely holding it, and readily removing it when worn out, to be replaced by a new one.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are indicated by similar referenceletters wherever they occur throughout the various views, Figure l is a side elevation of the point or end of a billiard-cue with the tip secured for use. Fig. 2 is a perspective view,

partly in side elevation and partly in section,

showing the fastening detached, but ready to be applied to the end of the tip. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal diametrical section of the cue end with the tip secured in place. Fig. 4 is an end view of the cue and fastening in position, but with thetip removed. Fig. 5 is'a detail View in perspective of the tip and tipfastener detached, the fastener being in position to be inserted in the base of the tip. Fig. 6 is a view of the parts shown in Fig. 5, but with the tip secured to the fastener. Fig. 7 isamodified form of the fastener shown Fig. S is a detail view-in perspective of the housing for the fastener.

Referring to the parts by reference-letter, A represents the end of the ordinary billiardcue, except that it has a reduced neck 'a to enter the counterbored end of the cylinder or ferrule B, which is preferably made of aluminium or some light non-corrodible met-al. The bore in the opposite end of the cylinder B is of a size to snugly receive a housing O (shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 8) or the shorter ring or housing C'. (Shown in Fig. 7.)

The tip D is of ordinary construction, consisting of an outer cushioned part, which is cemented to a hard leather or rubber washer or base CZ. The fastener consists of a central This plug has extending from it spring-fingers e, of which there are preferably three, and the fingers have their ends turned outwardly, forming hooks e', which when the fingers are in their normal condition readily enter the central perforation in the base or washer d of the tip. Within the ngers e is arranged a metal ball e2, which, when the fingers are placed within the perforation in the tip, is forced toward the tip by a screw e3, which spreads the fingers apart and forces their 'hooks e' into the walls or the washer or base or over the inner face of the base and between it and the cushion, thus securely holding the tip on the ends of the spring-fingers. When this is accomplished, the fastening is inserted in the housing C, which has prongs or points c, projecting from its edge, which are driven into the Washer or base d to prevent the tip from being turned. The opposite end of this housing is slotted, and when the fastening E is forced into it, as seen in Fig. 3, the ingers slightly spread the ends or tongues c', so that they will requireto be slightly pressed before being started into the ferrule or cylinder B. The purpose of this arrangement is to prevent the housing from turning in the cylinder B, as it requires some little force to either press the housed fastening into the end of the tube B or retract it therefrom.

In the form shown in Fig. 7 the ring O' is placed over the ends of the fingers before the hooked ends are inserted into the base of the tip, after which the ball e2 is forced toward the ends of the fingers by the screw e3, holding the tip very securely upon the hooks e' and against the end of the ring O. The ring C' and plug E in this case are both made to snugly fit Within the end of the tube B.

Now it will be seen that the tip islreadily applied to the fastener and the fastener readily inserted in the end of the tube B, and when the tip is worn out a new one can be replaced by simply withdrawing the housing and-fastener from the tube B. Then by retracting the screw e3 and removing the housing anew tip may be quickly applied, and the housing replaced and reinserted -in the end of the ferrule or tube B.

It is obvious that the housing C or ring C may be omitted; but in this case it would be necessary to make the plug E fit the bore in the tube B, and also Vmake it somewhat longer than shown, in order to prevent the tip moving to one side or the other when the cue is in use. The tip when secured in place is as rigid as it would be possible to make it by cementing it to the end of the cue.

It is also obvious that the bali e2 may be omitted, as the rounded end of the screw e3 would force the fingers apart suflicient to clamp the tip securely t0 them. I have, however, shown the best form of embodying my invention, but do not desire to be limited to the specific details shown.

What I claim isl. In a billiard-eue-tip fastener the combination of the cue, the vferrule fitted on the end thereof, the tip having a central perforation, l a plug to fit the bore in said ferrule having l spring-lingers with `,outtur-necl `ends to `enter the central bore in the tip, and a screw passing through said plug to spread the fingers l apart and clamp the tip to the fastener, subf stantially as shown and described.

2. In a fastening for billiard-cue tips the l combination of the cue, the tube or ferrule secured to the end thereof, the tip-fastener consisting of the plug centrally bored, a tube, spring-fingers having `outturned `ends projecting from one end of said plug to enter a perforation in the tip, the tip, a ball Within the fingers, a screw passing through the plug to force the ball and spread the fingers after their insertion in the tip, and the housing to pass over the spring-fingers and fit the bore in the end of the ferrule or'tube, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination of the tip, a plug having spring-iingers with outturned ends to enter the bore in the base of the tip, the

screw passing through said plug to spread the fingers and clamp the tip thereto, a housing for said spring-lingers having points on its end to enter the base of the tip and pref vent it from turning on the ugers, the cue, the ferrule or tube secured on the end thereof and adapted to receive the housing carrying the tip and tip-fasteners, substantially as shown and described.

VILLIAM VOEHLE.

Titnessesr SHERWOOD R. TAYLOR, GEO. J. MURRAY. 

